Visual Monitoring of Space Rendezvous: a Structure from Motion Problem

The scope of this study is the development of a software tool, called RDV MON, for automatic visual monitoring of the rendezvous between the International Space Station and the cargo spacecraft ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) of the European Space Agency. During this research study, several computer vision techniques have been investigated and their results compared, with respect to the requirements on the evaluation of target/chaser relative motion (position and attitude). In the last version of the software, we used corner feature detection and tracking and a special solution of the Structure from Motion problem that use the knowledge of the structure and the relative motion dynamics. Algorithms have been tested by using simulated rendezvous images and telemetry and pre-processed ISS/Progress rendezvous videos. The results encourage the use of computer vision techniques for rendezvous spacecraft relative motion monitoring, with satisfactory performances in terms of processing time and accuracy, and show the possibility of integrating such algorithms in a closed-loop cycle for relative guidance and navigation, especially by means of a further hardware implementation. Copyright © 2006 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.